The Best of Intentions
by rubyredlion
Summary: She wouldn't stand by and let an innocent child shoulder the fallout of the downfall of the dynastic plan. But can she shelter him from the truth forever? Set three and a half years post AYITL.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The last place she ever expected to see him again was at an Easter

Egg hunt at The Hartford Golf Club. They were there at Christopher's invitation, it having been almost two years since both she and her half-sister GiGi had spent a holiday together with their father. He had insisted they join him for brunch at the club for Easter Sunday, and Rory, not having any particular religious inclinations or traditions tied to this holiday, had agreed with only minimal reticence. For the most part she did her best to avoid Hartford society, not wanting to draw attention to herself or the changes that had taken place in her life in the last three and a half years. She knew that however discreetly they had kept their "Vegas" arrangement, one look at her blonde haired, almost three year old son and her naked left ring finger would certainly raise eyebrows amongst Hartford's elite inner circle.

So she had mostly kept herself in Stars Hollow since the day she'd delivered the news of her pregnancy to her mother on the gazebo steps, save for her trips to Philadelphia to meet with her editor at Truncheon. Jess had tried to convince her to seek out a larger publisher with a bigger name and broader reach. He'd encouraged her to at least try to parlay her limited journalistic success into an offer from a larger publishing house. In true Rory fashion, though, she had adamantly refused, in part out of loyalty to her old friend and in part because she thought that a smaller, Philadelphia based publisher would help to better preserve her privacy. She'd carefully kept her own pregnancy out of her tale of her own birth to an unwed mother, and she intended to keep it that way. Her book was met with an unexpected, albeit tempered, degree of success that was enough to boost the profile of Truncheon as well as earn Rory an offer for a second book from a larger publisher. This time she had accepted, feeling that not only had she returned Jess' generosity in bringing her book to fruition, but also that enough time had passed to make her feel secure in keeping her personal life unknown outside Stars Hollow.

So there it came to be, on the lush grassy lawn of Hartford's most exclusive country club, on a beautiful and unseasonably warm April day, that she would run into the one person she wished to avoid forever and yet all too often fantasized about seeing again. She was standing on the patio off of the banquet room where a lavish brunch was being served, watching the egg hunt taking place on the adjacent greens. Little girls in their lace dresses and Mary Janes, with large colorful bows adorning their heads, scurried from egg to egg with their brightly monogrammed baskets as quickly and as ladylike as they possibly could. Boys in their colorful spring Ralph Lauren gingham and plaids called out to each other as they frantically raced by, grabbing as many eggs as they could to hurl into their baskets, hoping to declare victory in what must inevitably become a fierce competition. The youngest children toddled about in their smocked Jon Jons and bishop dresses, squatting precariously next to a section of plastic eggs generously scattered close to the patio, reserved especially for them to participate in the festivities at their own pace.

Rory kept her eye on one particular blond haired toddler as he gleefully picked up one colorful plastic egg after another, dropping each ceremoniously into his wicker basket with a pale blue gingham fabric liner, bearing his name in embroidered navy block letters. His Lola had sewed the liner herself for the vintage basket she'd found at Mrs. Kim's shop. "Pottery Barn Kids has nothin' on me!" she'd declared in true Lorelai fashion. (Lorelai had also declared herself way too young and fabulous to be called "Grandma", and had tried her best to get her grandson to simply call her Lorelai. Lola, or "Woh-wa" as the little toddler was more likely to say, was the welcomed compromise. Rory's penchant for humming "Copa Cabana" under her breath in Lorelai's presence did nothing to deter her from embracing her new moniker.)

Hayden Richard Gilmore was an undoubtedly beautiful child. With his wavy mop of almost white blond hair, and his mother's amazing cerulean eyes graced with the thickest fringe of dark lashes, he looked perfectly angelic. Until he smiled, that is. When that mischievous grin lit up his sweet face, he looked exactly like his father, right down to the adorable dimple in his left cheek. To Logan's nearest and dearest, there would be no questioning Hayden's paternity. Rory knew this would become more and more obvious as her son grew older. Short of leaving the east coast altogether, she had no clue what to do about it. She assumed she still had time to figure it out...until today, that is.

She watched Hayden happily toddling about in his little blue Jon Jon smocked with Easter bunnies and chicks across the chest, a gift from his great-grandma. He picked up a bright green egg, his favorite color, and gleefully announced "Gween!" as he added to his basket. Rory chuckled and smiled to herself, reveling in her small son's adorable antics. She turned her head to glance through the window into the banquet room where Christopher and Gigi had stopped to visit with some of his colleagues, and that's when she saw her son's father for the first time in three and a half years.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She could swear her heart was pounding right out of her chest and surely everyone in her proximity could hear the erratic rhythm pulsing loudly in her own eardrums, drowning out any noise around her. The blood rushed from her head and she suddenly felt overheated, dizzy, like her knees could fail her any given second. Her hand instinctively reached out in search of something to steady herself with and connected with the cool wrought iron of a patio dining chair. She gripped the cool iron as tightly as she could, her knuckles turning impossibly whiter than her already naturally translucent skin. Her blue eyes filled with moisture and sweat beaded her pale, freckled forehead. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, willing herself to remain upright, trying in vain to slow her heartbeat. What on earth was he doing in here? Last she knew, he only came to New York when he traveled stateside. Over the last few years, she'd imagined countless scenarios in which they'd encounter each other once again, but those scenarios never included Hayden being present. She was ill prepared for the absolute shock of seeing him on the other side of that glass window, easily chatting with a beautiful blonde woman whom she was almost certain was his sister, Honor, while Rory and their son he did not know even existed stood just on the other side of that glass, not even thirty feet away. "Breathe, Rory, breathe. You have to pull it together," she mentally instructed herself. He must be visiting Honor and her family. Oh God, was his wife here, too? If she came face to face with Odette, a woman she'd never met in person, a woman who existed only in wedding announcements and news articles that had shattered Rory's heart to pieces many times, she would die on this very spot. A fresh wave of intense panic overtook her as she gripped the chair even tighter, and just as she thought she would indeed pass out, her half-sister materialized in front of her, offering a chilled glass of champagne.

"Dad asked me to bring this to you. Is my favorite little nephew still hunting eggs...Rory, are you feeling alright? You don't look well," Gigi's concerned voice and the warm, dry hand she placed on Rory's arm brought her back momentarily. She took another deep breath and managed a half smile. She couldn't hide this from Gigi, she needed an ally to ensure that Logan did not cross paths with Hayden. She released her grip from the chair, straightened her posture, smoothed her hands over her pale blue eyelet sheath dress and took one more deep, shaky breath. She looked her 16 year old half-sister in the eye and said quietly, "Hayden's father is here." Gigi's own blue eyes widened in shock and her pretty pink lips formed a perfect "O" upon registering what her older sister was saying to her. Even the teenaged Gigi was made aware of the circumstances surrounding Hayden's paternity, and why Rory was adamant about raising him on her own with his father none the wiser. She found Rory's choice unsettling, wondering what it would have been like had her own mother made a similar call, but ultimately it wasn't her place to offer an opinion, however mature she might be for her age. She was a more than a bit wiser and worldly than the average American teenager, having elected to spend her high school years in Paris with her mother after spending almost all her childhood summers there. She traveled to the States during every school break to see Christopher and she and Rory had developed a stronger sisterly bond as she had become more mature. They shared a love of literature and travel, and these commonalities had resulted in many long conversations, emails, and texts. She adored being an aunt to Hayden, and delighted in all the pictures and stories Rory sent to her.

"What...wait...how is that...I mean...shit," Gigi's response was every bit as American and ineloquent as she presently felt. She liked to believe that she'd acquired the cool cosmopolitan veneer of a true Parisian, but she was completely rattled by this turn of events. She couldn't even fathom how Rory must feel right now. She inhaled deeply. "Okay. Has he seen you? Where exactly is he right now? What should we do?"

Rory, keeping her back to the window, lest he were to glance out at the wrong moment and catch sight of her, subtly inclined her head toward the banquet room on the other side of the glass. "He's in there. Second table closest to the window, standing next to the blonde in the floral sheath. Light suit, lavender shirt, blonde hair, smile identical to Hayden's." Gigi looked over Rory's shoulder and identified the man in question. At that very moment, the animated blonde woman next to him must have said something quite funny, because a huge smile broke out across his face as he tilted his head back to laugh.

"Shit!" Gigi exclaimed once more. "Sweet Jesus, Rory, Hayden looks exactly like him!"

"I know, I know," Rory groaned, once agin feeling the panic and nausea rise up through her body. "He cannot see us together, Gi, there's no way he won't figure it out. I've got to get Hayden out of here."

They both turned their attention back to the toddler playing in the grass. Hayden was squatted down next to his basket, pilfering through his colorful plastic loot, trying to open the eggs to see what sugary goodies hid within. He looked up and saw his mother and his aunt watching him. He immediately stood up on his sweet, chubby legs and held out a bright pink egg. "Wook! Auntie Gi! I dot you a pink one cuz you wuv pink!" He smiled brilliantly, a smile identical to the one on she'd just seen grace the face of his unknowing father. He hurried toward Gigi and threw his arms around her legs, before turning to his mother and doing the same. Rory looked down at his innocent face and for a moment her panic subsided. No matter what happened, she would always be grateful that Logan gave her their son. She couldn't imagine loving anyone or anything more than she loved Hayden. When she found out she was pregnant with a boy, she'd been completely thrown, as if the pregnancy itself wasn't enough of a surprise already. She'd only ever lived with one man and that man was his father. She'd just assumed she would have a baby girl, a miniature of herself that she would know precisely how to raise. A little boy was another unexpected curveball. From the second he was born, all her insecurities vanished and she vowed to do anything in her power to keep him safe and loved. As it turned out, the loving him part was effortless, but keeping him safe was another matter entirely. Although he wasn't quite three, she suspected he'd inherited his father's daredevil streak. He was a ball of pure unbridled energy and no obstacle, no matter how substantial, could slow him down. His preferred speed was a manic race and he would climb any height and barrel right through anything standing in his way. He loved his Spider Man costume, another work of art from his Lola, and he spent many hours leaping off of and scaling the furniture and staircase. It was a completely new world for both Rory and Lorelai. Luke, or "Papa Wuke" as Hayden called him, took his grandson's antics much more in stride, assuring their ladies that this was indeed perfectly normal. At the end of the day, though, he was a mama's boy at heart, and he loved nothing more than to curl up with Rory and be read story after story until his big blue eyes couldn't stay open a second longer.

"Mama! Wook! What that bunny doing?" her son's excited voice broke through her thoughts. She looked up to see that a large, upright, mobile white bunny, or more accurately a country club employee in a bunny costume, had appeared on the lawn to greet the children. Rory personally found the Easter Bunny quite creepy, and Hayden's furrowed brow and apprehensive expression indicated that he shared his mother's sentiments. She looked up from her son to share this observation with GiGi just in time to see the look of panic and horror frozen on GiGi's face as she once again stared into the banquet room. "He's headed this way!" she hissed to Rory. Rorysbhead whipped around. Sure enough, a blonde haired girl of about ten, bearing a striking resemblance to Honor, was leading Logan by the hand toward one of the several sets of French doors leading to the outdoor patio. Her own face now mirrored her sister's panic. She looked down at Hayden still wrapped around her legs and then back up at GiGi.

"Crap, what do we do?" She looked at the 16 year old GiGi helplessly.

GiGi seemingly collected her wits (at least one of them had to) and reached for her nephew's hand, "Hayden, do you want to go meet the Easter Bunny?"

"No! He scawy!" He clung tighter to his mother.

"How about we just go watch him take pictures with the other kids? You don't have to get close to him unless you want to. He's a very nice bunny, and he left all these eggs especially for you!"

Hayden seemed to think this over. He released Rory's legs and reached his arms up toward his pretty young aunt. GiGi swung him up onto her hip and he rested his golden head in the crook of her shoulder, still unsure about this alleged friendly bunny. Rory reached out to smooth his hair as GiGi walked as quickly as she could in her wedge sandals toward the lawn and the gaggle kids surrounding the bunny.

Rory subtly turned to glance toward the patio doors, just as the father of her child stepped through onto the patio. She quickly turned away and inhaled sharply, silently thanking GiGi for her quick thinking, as Hayden was now well out of Logan's line of sight. Suddenly remembering the glass of champagne GiGi had set on the table next to them, she promptly grabbed the glass and with a flick of her wrist, downed its slightly warm contents. It hit her empty stomach and immediately went to her head. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. "Okay, we can do this, he is hasn't seen us. Just stay calm," she thought to herself.

"Rory."

She froze, glass still in hand. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. Her wide blue eyes flew open.

"Logan."


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all for the kind reviews! This is my first FanFiction, and really the first thing I have written at all in many, many years. So please forgive my formatting and grammatical errors! I have always loved Logan and Rory together, and I feel that Matt Czuchry brought so much complexity to a character who was meant to be quite simple (and not all that likable). Their relationship and situations are far from simple and my wish was to delve into that. I have no idea where this is going. I'm simply following a muse.

Chapter 3

Logan couldn't remember the last time he was in Hartford. It had to have been at least four years ago. Since Odette had entered his life and it became apparent that their dynastic union would become permanent, he spent most holidays with her family in France or they would meet Honor and her family at an alpine resort. He really had no reason to return to Hartford; any stateside business was conducted at the New York office, and the occasions where he absolutely had to see Shira and Mitchum typically occurred while they were in Europe.

It just so happened that he had spent a week in New York on business while his wife headed to the south of France to spend the Easter holiday with her family. When it became apparent that he would be spending the following week in New York as well, he opted to travel to Hartford and see his sister and her family in lieu of his original plan to meet his wife in France. If he was to be honest, he was relieved his business had been extended and that his wife was currently an ocean away. They were approaching their third anniversary and it looked to be a less than celebratory occasion. Logan was exhausted. He went into his marriage knowing good and well that it was not a union of true love. He was doing his duty to his family and to the Huntzberger empire, marrying a woman from a European media dynasty thus making him heir to the largest media conglomerate in the world. It was a fate he'd come to accept. Logan had grown to enjoy his work. He excelled at it; the potential his father had insisted was there all along had finally taken root and flourished. He was a mogul, heir to an empire, worthy of the Huntzberger name.

And the there was Odette. She was stunningly beautiful, effortlessly sophisticated, a descendent of French aristocracy who ran in the same circles as European royalty. She was intelligent and witty and at times unbearably haughty. When they had first been introduced, he had been pleasantly surprised and relieved that she did not bore him. Quite the contrary, Odette excelled at compelling every man in her company to give in to the thrill of the chase. She was alluring but incredibly manipulative, and even though Logan knew this five minutes into their first conversation, he gave in to pursuit nonetheless.

In the years since Rory had turned down his proposal , Odette was the first woman who truly sparked his interest. As their courtship progressed, he began to think that maybe he could tolerate an arranged marriage of sorts after all. Until he began hearing rumors of Odette's dalliances with a particular French artist while he was in London and she in Paris. He had spent enough time in France over the years to understand that the French have a different outlook on monogamy, and given his own father's history, it wasn't something that he thought too much of. What came as a surprise was his fiancé-to-be's laissez faire attitude toward concealing her indiscretions. This resulted in a meeting of the patriarchs during which Mitchum insisted that such activities would cease and that the prenup would clearly enforce his mandate.

Logan had considered breaking things off altogether until that fateful weekend in Hamburg. The reemergence of Rory Gilmore into his life rendered him ambivalent toward Odette's affinity for French artists. He could tolerate Odette's less palatable qualities as long as he could have Rory again. When she broached the "Vegas" idea, his immediate instinct was to refuse. To tell her she was crazy and that he wanted her and only her. That he wanted to pretend the last seven years apart had never happened and that they could just go back to what they had all those years ago. That the reason they fell back in sync together like no time had passed at all was proof that they belonged together.

Instead he agreed with her proposed arrangement, knowing that his fate had long since been sealed. He was entrenched in his Huntzberger destiny and had been since Mitchum showed up in Palo Alto and bought out the start up venture that he had helped to make successful. He was an international media mogul and she was still Rory from Stars Hallow; she still wanted what he could never offer.

So he took what he could get, knowing all too well that their reunion would ultimately end in heartbreak. They spent two years in Vegas; and he fell more in love with her than he thought possible, all the while knowing he would acquiesce to his family's wishes and ultimately marry Odette. Rory was a stickler for keeping emotional boundaries. She asked little about his life other than his work when they were together. He knew that she knew about Odette only from a passing remark about seeing them in the tabloids together. She never brought it up again.

This only reinforced what he already knew: Rory had no intention of anything beyond their Vegas arrangement. And so Logan continued on with Odette. When it became apparent that he was to be engaged, he made it a point to tell Rory in person during her next trip to London. Her eyes widened and watered ever so slightly, and her voice shook as she offered her preemptive congratulations. He realized then that her determination in keeping them in "Vegas" wasn't as sincere as she'd led him to believe. But by then it was too late. He was fully entrenched in his destiny, now more than ever. So he'd made love to her that night, as slowly and as tenderly as he ever had, trying to convey his feelings to her through actions instead of words. She left for the airport the next morning. Logan didn't hear from her again for almost two months.

When he did, she acted as though nothing had changed, as if their arrangement remained intact, casually offering dates for her next trip to London. He wanted to scream in frustration, to tell her to drop the fucking pretense already and tell him to break it off with Odette. That they could find a way to make it work and that she was the love of his life, goddamn it, how could she not see it? That he would give up everything for her if she'd just tell him she wanted him, too. Instead he heard himself offering to take her to a play that he knew she would love and to make reservations at her favorite restaurant.

They continued with their charade until Odette moved to London and into his flat. After that phone call that damn near shattered his heart, he'd decided he couldn't end things that way, not again. She deserved better, hell, they both did. Thus the plan for a magical night in Stars Hallow was hatched.

Offering her the key to the Maine house had in hindsight been a stupid move on his part. A stupid and desperate and lovesick move. There had to be an end point to their arrangement and trying to make her his mistress wouldn't change that, nor would she ever agree to such. In the end they'd parted, and though it had been painfully bittersweet, he felt they finally had closure, or something at least resembling closure.

Until he gave in to Honor's insistence that he join them for Easter brunch at the Club, and he looked out the window from their table in the banquet room and saw the woman he had loved for so many years standing outside on the patio in the warm April sunshine, her blue eyes shining and a beautiful smile lighting up her face.

That's when he knew there would there would never truly be closure when it came to Rory Gilmore.


	4. Chapter 4

Y'all, my heart was pounding as I neared the end of this chapter. I hope, kind readers, that you find this as satisfying as I did! :)

Chapter 4

Born in bred into high society, Logan was rarely, if ever, at a loss for words. But seeing her again three and a half years later caused a momentary lapse in his smooth facade. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie and tried to quickly divert his attention back to what Honor was saying to him. He took a drink from the squatty glass in his hand.

"And then Eliza has a dance recital in two weeks, but of course Mother is off on another one of her spa trips and can't be bothered to attend her granddaughter's recital, or anything, ever...Logan? What on earth are you looking at?"

Honor started to turn her head to see for herself what or who had captured her brother's attention. Logan quickly placed his free hand on her forearm, causing her to turn her attention back to him.

"Well, Hon, she barely made it to your dance recitals, what more do you expect out of her?" he teased, smiling charmingly to let her know he was kidding.

"You'd think she could show at least some interest in the grandchildren she brags incessantly about to her friends. Thank god Josh's parents are so damn normal."

Logan laughed, and looked out the window again, just in time to see a small blonde haired boy throw his arms around Rory's legs. A lovely teenage girl in a floral dress, with long honey colored waves stood next to the two. He recalled seeing Christopher Hayden across the banquet room as he walked in, thus explaining her presence here today. The teenage girl must be Rory's half-sister. But who was the little boy? Did she have another half-sibling? He tried to recall hearing anything about Christopher marrying again, maybe to someone his junior.

As for Rory, he couldn't recall any mention in her book about her possibly having a husband, let alone a child. He'd tried to follow whatever pieces she'd written or interviews she'd given since they parted and her book had been published. He'd been proud of her success, happy to know that she must be pleased to have achieve it.

He watched Rory smooth the boy's hair and smile down at him affectionately. Her actions appeared almost...maternal. Logan kept staring out the window perplexed.

"Honestly, Logan, what are you staring at?" This time Honor whipped her head around before he could stop her.

"Oh my, is that Rory Gilmore? I couldn't even tell you the last time I saw her! Did you two ever keep in touch? Who is that little boy?"

Logan cleared his throat once again. "I don't know, I assume Christopher Hayden must have a son now. Did he marry again?"

Honor squinted her eyes, still studying Rory on the other side of the window. "Not that I've heard, but who knows? I don't hear much about the Haydens or the Gilmores since Francine Hayden became ill and Emily moved away from Hartford."

"Hmm. I kept in touch with her off and on, but nothing in the last few years," he said noncommittally.

Honor quirked an eyebrow at his statement. "Off and on, huh little brother? Hard to imagine the two of you ever being casual acquaintances."

Logan laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, sister. I'd like to think we both grew into mature adults capable of friendly communication."

"Whatever you say," she said as she turned to a little girl of about ten seated at the table immediately next to them.

"Eliza, will you please go tell Jack and Olivia to come inside so we can sit down to lunch?" The little girl sighed exaggeratedly.

"Mom, do I have to?"

Logan laughed at his niece, an miniature version of her mother from head to toe. Holding out his free hand he said, "Come on, Elly, I'll walk outside with you." He quickly decided he could prove his sister wrong by simply saying hello to Rory. Surely it was better to acknowledge one another's presence like mature adults rather than avoid each other like secret lovers who'd regretfully parted ways.

Eliza made a big production of standing up and taking her uncle's hand. They made their way to the patio doors, one hand still holding his cocktail, his niece leading him by the other, his pounding heart belying his otherwise carefree demeanor.

Once they'd stepped outside, he turned to his little niece, "You go find your brother and sister, I'm going to say hello to someone."

Eliza scampered off amongst the egg hunters in search of her siblings. He glanced in Rory's direction and saw her standing by herself once again, watching her teenage sister carry the little boy in the direction of some poor club employee costumed as the Easter Bunny. He strode over to her as she was downing her glass of champagne, causing him to chuckle under his breath. By the time he reached her, his heart felt as if it was pounding right out of his chest. She stood, champagne glass in hand, eyes closed.

"Rory."

Her gorgeous blue eyes flew open and he almost lost his nerve. He had dreamt of those eyes, that perfectly beautiful face, for the last three and a half years. Walking away from her hurt more then than it had on her graduation day. He began to question his decision to approach her altogether.

"Logan."

He collected his wits once again and gave her his most charming smile. "I thought it was you. I hope it's okay that I came over to say hello. I'm surprised to see you here."

She smiled nervously back at him and glancing away, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Boy, not as surprised as I am to see you! What on earth are you doing in Hartford?"

"I had some business in New York, and Honor guilt tripped me into Easter brunch with her family. I hadn't seen the kids in over a year, so I gave in," he smiled at her again, glad that she looked as nervous as he felt. "I saw your dad on my way in, I'm assuming that's what brought you here? And is that GiGi and your half-brother with you?"

As he lifted his glass to his lips he noticed Rory's already fair skin turn completely white. Suddenly a flash of blonde hair and pale blue fabric barreled past him and plastered itself against Rory's legs. She lifted an obviously upset little boy in her arms as his sister trailed behind him, looking very much as distraught.

"Mommy! I told you dat bunny is SCAWY!" the little boy wailed as he buried his face in her neck.

Logan choked on his drink as the little boys words registered in his ears. It was his face that lost color this time.

"You have a son?" he managed to get out.

Rory looked at him, blue eyes wider than he thought possible, shaking as she clutched her son, and weakly nodded her head.

Upon hearing a strange voice, the little boy's blonde head popped up from his mother's shoulder and he looked straight at Logan with a familiar pair of wide blue eyes.

"Who dat guy, Mommy?"

Logan took a deep breath and smiled at him, admittedly amused by his tiny voice. "I'm Logan."

A huge grin broke out across his little face and that's when Logan's heart stopped completely.

Without a doubt, he was looking at his son.


	5. Chapter 5

Rory stared into Logan's shocked face. In all the years she had known him, she had never seen him at a complete and total loss for words. No matter how much something rattled him, he was always quick to collect himself and figure out his next move. If the situation weren't what it was, his current state would be comical.

"Logan, I just, I mean..." she began. The sound of her voice must have jarred him back to reality. He held up a hand.

"Stop. Just stop, Rory." He stared at her with a mix of absolute shock, anger, and hurt. "Is this...is he...am I - " he struggled.

"Uncle Logan! Uncle Logan, I found Jack and Olivia, let's go eat now!" a little girl bearing a striking resemblance to Logan's sister clamored as she skipped to Logan's side and slipped her hand in his. She looked up expectantly at her uncle, who was still staring shell shocked at the woman and child standing with him. "Uncle Logan?"

Logan cleared his throat and snapped to attention. With a final hard look at Rory, he said, "I have to go, I can't do this right now."

"Do what Uncle Logan?"

"Nothing, sweetheart, go on, I'll be right after you."

The girl's blue eyes flashed quizzically as she cast one last look at the pretty woman and little boy, but she obediently skipped off toward the doors to the banquet room.

"This isn't over, Rory."

He turned in pursuit of his niece, leaving Rory with her son and her shattered heart.

-–-

"Oh my God, Rory, I am so sorry! I tried to stop him!" GiGi's wide eyes welled up with tears. "What just happened?! Oh my God, what does this even mean?"

Rory stood frozen, clutching Hayden in her arms, feeling as if she could faint or vomit or both. She was afraid to move, afraid that she would lose her grasp on Hayden.

"Can you take him for me?" she whispered to her sister. GiGi collected herself and reached to take Hayden in her arms. Once freed from the weight of her son, Rory carefully sat down in a nearby chair, posture rod straight, a transfixed stare still frozen on her face.

"Rory, can I get you something? Water, a coffee, something? You don't look good."

Rory closed her eyes momentarily, and turned to look up at GiGi.

"He knows," she uttered quietly. "Logan knows Hayden is his."

GiGi placed a warm, soft hand on her half-sister's shoulder. "Come on. I think we should find Dad and get the hell out of here. We'll tell him you're coming down with a stomach bug or something and I need to drive you back to Stars Hollow."

Rory nodded and used her hands to brace herself against the arms of the weight iron patio chair. Willing her shaking legs to support her, she pushed to her feet and followed her son and his half-aunt back inside.

Hayden slept on the drive back from Hartford. Rory said nothing; she simply stared out the window, silent tears rolling down her cheeks as sixteen year old GiGi, who barely had a drivers license, focused all of her attention on the road. She was still in better condition to drive than Rory, who couldn't begin to process what had just taken place.

When she'd decided not to tell Logan about Hayden's existence she'd been met with little to no support. "It's your life kid," Lorelai had said as she rose from the kitchen table to pour another cup of coffee. "But it's that baby's life, too, now. I don't agree with it, but I can't make you do the right thing."

"You raised me on your own and it probably would have been better altogether if Dad had not been in and out of our lives, never being a consistent presence," Rory had countered.

"Um yeah, it also would have been even better if we had been at least old enough to legally drink, Rory, but that's not how it played out. And I did the best I could, and Chris probably though he did the best he could at that time. We were teenagers for Christ's sake. But you're not. You're a 32 year old adult woman and he's a 35 year old adult man!" Lorelai's voice rose in volume.

"He's a 35 year old man preparing to marry another woman, all in the name of the Huntzberger's 'dynastic plan'!" Rory had shot back, making emphasizing her words with air quotes.

Loralei whipped around and gave her daughter a furious stare. "Yeah, well you knew that all along, kid, and that didn't exactly stop you from every hop, skip and a jump across the pond and into Logan's bed, did it now?" Lorelai's tone was pure ice.

Rory had stared at her mother, knowing she was right.

Lorelai placed her coffee cup on the counter. "I can't talk about this anymore," she said, giving her daughter one last disappointed look before exiting the kitchen.

Rory remained seated at the table, staring at her hands. She heard Luke's footsteps and felt his presence over her shoulder. She still didn't look up.

"Rory," he began. He sighed deeply.

"I'm not your father. I can't tell you what to do. You're a grown woman. But I don't agree with this. After what I went through with April, I can't agree with this."

And with that he'd turned to follow his wife to bed, leaving Rory in the kitchen, still staring at her hands.

Rory stared blankly out the window as GiGi pulled into the driveway of a small picturesque little house, very similar to the one she grew up in a few streets over. Her mother's jeep was parked on the street in front of the house, with Rory still very new to home ownership, Lorelai or Luke or often times both, would drop by whether she was home or not to see if anything needed attending to, and of course hoping to see their only grandson as well.

Rory sighed as GiGi parked the car, unbuckling her seatbelt and grabbing her purse. She climbed out and opened the rear door to retrieve a sleeping Hayden from his car seat. Lorelai came out onto the front porch.

"What have you done to my darling grandson? Did he finally crash from his sugar high?" she called out as she moved toward Rory. "Oh, hey GiGi, what are you doing here?" she asked quizzically, seeing GiGi exiting the driver's door of Rory's car.

"Rory wasn't feeling well, so I drove her and Hayden home. Dad is coming by to pick me up later," GiGi said as she gave Rory a sidelong glance.

"What's wrong? Are you coming down with something? Is Hayden feeling ok?" Lorelai reached to take Hayden from her daughter's arms.

Rory's eyes welled up with fresh tears once again. "Mom..." she began, her voice breaking, before losing her resolve altogether.

Lorelai now looked genuinely concerned, her own blue eyes glancing back and forth between GiGi and Rory, searching for answers. "What's going on?"

GiGi sighed and looked directly into Lorelai's eyes. "We ran into Logan Huntzberger at the Club. He saw Hayden. We think he knows."

Lorelai's stared at her with wide, shocked eyes, registering her once step-daughter's words. She began to say something, just as Rory's cell phone began to buzz. Rory rummaged through her purse and pulled out her phone, her face turning white as she read the name flashing across the screen. She sighed, knowing there was no avoiding this.

"Logan."

"Rory. We need to talk."


	6. Chapter 6

Y'all are amazing to keep following this with me! I know this could stand better formatting and some editing, and I will probably try to do that in the next couple of weeks. For now I'm just trying to get the words out to my head while they are fresh! Love the reviews and I'm trying to address some of the points made, because the same ideas and questions have also crossed my mind! xx

Chapter 6

Rory sighed into the phone.

"Yes, I know. Why don't you come here? I have my own house in Stars Hollow now. I'll text you my new address."

"I'll be there sometime this evening."

"Okay...I'll see you later, I guess..."

Logan hung up his phone, leaned his head back in the oversized leather chair in his brother-in-law's office. He'd meant to head to New York straight after brunch, but that had all changed after his run in with Rory and her son. His son. Their son.

He was still in shock. That little boy had to be his kid. The resemblance was too strong. He'd thought about nothing else ever since he'd walked away from her at the club. The boy appeared to be about three years old which would align with his conception occurring that September night in a New Hampshire inn. The last time he'd made love to Rory. Apparently he'd left her with more of a parting gift than he'd realized.

Why hadn't she told him? How could she? He knew full and well the way they'd carried on with their goddamn "Vegas" arrangement was fair to nobody. Not to him, not to Odette, and certainly not to Rory. But a baby changes everything. He'd been looking for a reason to walk away from Odette and that fucking merger, any reason to be with the only woman he'd ever truly loved. And the ultimate reason came to pass and yet she had kept it from him. That knowledge cut him deeper than anything.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself. He picked up the glass of scotch in front of him and proceeded to drain its remnants. He thought about pouring another but knew he needed to keep his wits about him to pay his visit to Rory later. He picked up his cell phone again.

"Hey, man, to what do I owe this pleasure? I haven't heard from you in months."

"Colin, what's going on man? How are things?"

"Livin' the fuckin dream, buddy. Slaving away at this soul sucking law firm, kiddo is a toddler terror, and oh by the way, Libby's pregnant again."

"Damn, that was fast! Wait, how old is Patrick again?"

"Fifteen months. Apparently when Lib said she wanted kids close together, her definition was a little different than mine."

Logan laughed. "Well, cheers to you, Daddy! Hire another nanny and let's plan something with Finn to celebrate."

"Yeah, that will go over really well, I'm sure. She still hasn't forgiven Finn for that wedding toast. What about you? Isn't there something in your prenup that dictates Odette should have a bun in the oven by now?"

Logan cleared his throat. "Well, we've been supposedly trying but I don't know that Odette truly wants or intends to ever have kids, so I'm kind of wondering if the goalie is still in play and she's just being standard manipulative Odette. But on that note, there's another reason for my call...I ran into Rory here in Hartford. Easter brunch at the club."

"Shit, Reporter Girl? It's been what, over three years? How is she?" Colin asked fondly.

"She's...I don't know, good I guess? We didn't really talk too long. Colin...I uh..she uh..."

"Huntzberger, spit it out, man," Colin was genuinely puzzled by his friend's sudden tone. He'd rarely heard Logan this rattled, and their friendship spanned decades.

"She has a kid. She has a kid who is about three years old, and I swear to God, Colin, I think he's mine."

"Holy fuck, are you messing with me Logan?! Is Finn there? If this is some sort of joke, it's beyond fucked up."

"Colin, this is not a joke, and it's still beyond fucked up. And you cannot tell a goddamn soul. Not Libby, not Finn, not anyone, Colin. This stays between you and me. Like attorney-client privilege, you got it?"

"Understood, brother. What the fuck are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Our conversation was brief, I kind of lost my cool and walked off. But the look on her face kind of gave it away, you know? Like she knew I'd figured it out. So I called her when I got back to Honor's house, and I'm headed to her place in Stars Hollow to talk. Except I have no fucking idea what to say."

"Oookay...are we talking legal options here? I mean, what's your goal? You wanna be a part of this kid's life?

"I've got to figure that out. In the mean time, can you see what you can find out about Rory, her son, anything at all?"

"You got it. I'll call you as soon as I find anything. Good luck tonight and let me know how it goes...I'm here for you, brother."

Logan smiled into the phone, knowing how awkward it was for Colin to utter anything remotely tinged with emotion.

"Thanks, man. I'll be in touch."

Logan hung up the phone and leaned back into his chair once again, trying to figure out his next move.

Logan pulled Honor's Range Rover into the driveway of a small house bearing a close resemblance to what he could recall of Lorelai's house. His heart was beating fast but he felt remarkably calm. He got out of the car and walked up to the front door. He lifted he fist to knock just as the door opened.

"Hi, um, come in. I just finished giving Hayden his bath," Rory pushed a piece of hair off of her forehead and stood to the side, motioning him to come in. She was wearing a pair of yoga pants and a tight fitting tank top. Logan let his eyes quickly run down her body before looking away. Having a baby had obviously not ruined her figure.

"Sorry I'm a mess, giving him a bath is a workout on my part, and half the time I get soaked, too," she explained, smiling at him.

Logan couldn't help but smile back. "You look great, Rory. You haven't changed a bit since I saw you last. Well, minus..."

She blushed and turned away, inclining her head toward the next room. "He's in here if you want to see him. I let him watch a little tv before story and bed time."

She started to walk toward the adjoining living room and Logan began to follow her when she suddenly turned around, colliding into his chest. His hands reached up to grab her arms and steady her. She looked up directly into his eyes. It was as close as he'd been to her in three years, and for a moment he felt his resolve to have his say to her crumble. She smelled just like he remembered.

"He is yours, just so you know. But I can't tell him that yet. I'm sorry...for everything...I never meant-" she stopped suddenly, stepping back from him and casting her eyes downward. "Come on," she said, again striding toward the living room.

Logan followed suit. There on a light blue sofa sat the little blond haired boy, wearing blue and gray striped pajamas, with a plush brown puppy by his side, staring intently at the tv. Logan's breath caught and he could feel his heart pounding once again. It was all so surreal, standing here, in this little house in Stars Hollow, with the former (or maybe always) love of his life, looking at their son.

"Hayden," Rory's voice broke through his thoughts. "This is my friend, Logan. Can you say hello?"

Hayden's little blond head turned at the sound of his mother's voice. He looked at Logan for a second before smiling shyly and pulling his little legs up to his chest.

"Why are you at my house?" he asked in the cutest little voice.

Logan chuckled. "Well, I'm an old friend of your mom's and I just came by to say hi. And because I wanted to meet you." Logan walked into the living room and sat in a patterned armchair across from the sofa.

Hayden continued to size up his guest, still smiling. "I'm watching Wightning McQueen. Do you wike Wightning McQueen?"

"Of course I do, but I also like Mater, too."

Rory's eyes widened in surprise. "You've been catching up on your Disney movies lately?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I do have nieces and nephews. I'm not completely uneducated when it comes to things Disney", he replied.

"I had ice cream because I ate all my dinner. Do you wike ice cream, Wogan?"

"I love ice cream."

Hayden's eyes lit up, "Do you wanna see my woom? I hab a big boy bed!" Hayden wiggled off the couch and walked across the room, grabbing hold of Logan's hand. Logan grinned and rose to his feet to follow his little son.

The next hour was spent hearing about every last toy Hayden owned, his favorite foods, his favorite animals, the park, and his preschool class. Prior to Honor having children, Logan had never been around them much. He didn't like or dislike kids one way or the other, and he loved spending time with his nieces and nephews, but was always ready to return to his childfree life. This, however, was completely different, as he hung on to Hayden's every word, studying his animated little face and seeing all the subtle and not so subtle characteristics of himself in his son's antics. He could fully understand why people said parenthood was the greatest thing in the world. And he was absolutely devastated to have missed as much as he had.

Rory stood in the hallway and peered into her son's bedroom watching Logan read Hayden his bedtime story. She was unnerved and yet secretly elated that they had hit it off so well. This whole situation was absolutely surreal, and she had no idea how it would all play out. She knew Logan wasn't going to let her off easy. He would have questions, and as she watched the scene before her unfold, all the answers she once thought she had seemed hollow and inadequate.

She smiled at the sound of Hayden's uncontrollable giggling and took that as her cue to enter his room once more.

"All right, what are you two up to in here? He's supposed to be settling down for the night," she tried to sound stern but she couldn't keep the amusement out of her own voice.

"Hayden and I are just hanging out, having guy time, isn't that right, buddy?"

"Yeah, Mommy! Guy time! Not girls!"

"Well, I hate to break up the party, but you do have to go to bed. It's almost 9 o'clock, way past your bedtime."

"Mommy, I want Wogan to staayyy!" Hayden whined.

Rory's chest tightened. She cleared her throat. Of course her kid would take to his dad this quickly, without even know this was indeed his father.

"I'm sure Logan has to be at work tomorrow."

"Wogan, will you come to my birfday party?"

Logan glanced at Rory uncertainly before turning his attention back to Hayden. "I would love to come to your birthday party. When is your birthday?"

"Um...Mommy when is my birfday?"

"June 19th."

"I will be free years old!" Hayden exclaimed, holding up three pudgy little fingers.

"June 19th, three years old," Logan repeated the words slowly as if he were working out the math in his head. The smile faded off of his handsome face as he locked eyes with Rory.

He stood up and walked toward the doorway, turning to look at his son. "Goodnight, buddy, I'm glad I got to meet you. You're a cool little guy. Hopefully I'll see you again soon."

"Yeah, at my birfday party!"

"Come on, sweetie, lets tuck you in," Rory moved toward his bed as Logan ducked out of his room. He turned to watch as Rory kissed Hayden's forehead and brushed his hair back, whispering "I love you" as she switched off his bedside lamp.

Logan had returned to the living room chair when Rory walked into the room.

She stood before him and their eyes met.

"So..." she began.

"So," he looked at her expectantly.

"I think I need a drink for this," she admitted. "You?"

"Lead the way."

He followed her into the small kitchen. She flipped on the light and he surveyed the surroundings. The original light wood floors, the painted white cabinets, and quartz countertops gave it a new traditional feel. Logan raised his eyebrows at the sight of the top of the line, stainless steel appliances.

"Pretty nice kitchen for someone who subsists on pop tarts and take out, Ace." It was the first time he'd used that nickname in over three years and yet it rolled off his tongue.

"The house was already renovated when I bought it," she admitted. If she was affected at all by his slip into that old familiarity, she didn't show it. Instead she walked over toward the stove and reached into the above cabinet, procuring a bottle of bourbon. Logan admired her lean form and the curve of her ass in her yoga pants as she did so.

"Get it together, Hutzberger," he silently told himself. "This is how you ended up here in the first place."

Rory placed the bourbon on the counter top and reached in another cabinet for two glasses. She added a generous pour of the bourbon to each, and upon handing him his glass, raised hers towards him in a toast of sorts.

"Here goes nothing." Rory tipped her glass back and drained half its contents. She grabbed the bottle and motioned toward the living room.

Once seated, Logan sat down his glass on the end table next to his chair and looked directly at Rory from her spot on the sofa.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

His voice was raw with emotion, anger, hurt, frustration all embroiled together. Rory looked down at her glass and sighed.

"I wanted to. I meant to. I was scared. And then you were married."

"That's bullshit Rory, and you know it. I didn't get married until a month before he was born. That really wasn't enough time?" He tried to keep his voice calm, steady. He could feel the anger and grief rising.

"I know we avoided the subject of your fiancée at all costs during our affair, Logan, but that doesn't mean I wasn't aware of who she is. I saw the articles about the merger and all its implications! It's not like you're just some average guy, like calling off the wedding would mean losing some deposits and embarrassing the family. This was a completely different situation, and you know it!"

Logan gave her a hard stare. Unable to sit still, he rose to his feet and began pacing around the room. He studied the framed photos of Rory and a newborn Hayden, Hayden as a plump, smiley baby sitting on a quilt outside, Hayden covered in cake and icing with a paper hat perched on his head. He chest tightened and the anger bubbled to the surface. He'd missed so damn much.

"Rory, all I know is I've spent the last three years with no clue that I had a child out in the world. I got up this morning, prepared to go about my life as usual, and I got completely blindsided at that club today. Do you have any idea how that feels, Rory? To know that the person you loved most in your entire life kept that from you?" Logan's voice was full of anguish. He gave her a hard stare. Motioning to the pictures on the mantle he said, "Look how much I missed! You took that from me!"

"I don't care how fucking complicated my life was, is, whatever. You don't do that to someone. You don't hide their child from them. So I'm a fucking Huntzberger, that doesn't make me a monster. Jesus Christ, Rory, how could you?!"

Rory's blue eyes welled up and spilled over. "What should I have done, Logan? Seriously, what would Hayden have had to endure from your family if you'd called off your wedding? My father's parents resented me my entire life for ruining their plans for him, and there weren't billions of dollars at stake. They treated me and my mother like dirt. Nothing I ever achieved endeared me to them in the slightest; not Chilton, not Yale, nothing. Could you even imagine how Shira and Mitchum would have reacted to Hayden? I'll be damned before I let my son be treated the way I was!" Rory was on her feet at this point, nearly shouting, tears streaming down her face.

"You think I would have let that happen? You didn't even give me a chance! Your dad was a sixteen year old kid, Rory! I am a grown man! You think I wouldn't have defended my son and his mother? Did I ever not stand up for you when we were together? I've loved you damn near half of my life, Rory, I would have done anything for you!" He was standing in front of her now, invading her space. Her hands covered her face as she silently sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Logan, I am so sorry. I didn't want it to be this way. I was so scared, so afraid I could lose him. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, me, too," he responded bitterly. "I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

She was still standing in the living room, face covered, as he drove away.


	7. Chapter 7

Once again, thank you all for the kind reviews! I know this could all use some polish, and I love that y'all can see past the rough edges and feel the emotion. ASP left this very complex, open ended scenario and I've thought about it so much since I watched AYITL. And then you have Matt Czuchry adding so much depth to a character it would have been easy to just write off as an asshole and justify Rory's implied choice of going down the road if a single mother. As a married adult with children of my own, I can't even fathom how to handle that situation. So I'm just walking through it chapter by chapter, trying to figure it out and keep it realistic. Thank you for following along with me!

Chapter 7

 _Two and a half months later_

"So Hayden's dad, who he doesn't know is his dad, is coming to his birthday party?" Lorelai asked her daughter as casually as she could as she filled balloons from a helium tank. They sat on the front porch of Rory's house on a warm, bright summer Saturday.

"Yes, Mom, he asked if he could come. And I figured since it's just family and Stars Hollow friends, it's probably safe. No one is going to know anything about him really, even if they do figure out he Hayden's dad," Rory replied as she continued hanging streamers across her porch.

Lorelai quickly sucked helium from a balloon while Rory's back was turned. "And how are you feeling about this?" Lorelai asked in a high pitched, helium infused voice.

Roe turned and gave her mother a withering glance. "Really? You're a grandmother now," she reprimanded half-jokingly.

"Hey, I'm not a regular grandma, I'm a cool grandma!" Lorelai shot back as she tied a ribbon to the end of a balloon and added it to the bunch.

"And to answer your question, I don't know how I feel about it. I don't even know where things stand, I'm just trying to protect Hayden and not rock the boat until I figure out what Logan's intentions are." Rory hopped off of her step stool and stood back to check her handiwork. It was a Disney cars themed party and she decked out the porch in black and white checked ribbon accented with red and yellow streamers, along with the balloons Lorelai was inflating.

Tables and chairs had been set up in her yard, courtesy of the Dragonfly inn. Luke had been tasked with grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, and Rory had invited Lane and her family, a few little friends from Hayden's nursery school, her grandmother, and of course Babette and Ms. Patty. Nothing grand, just a small celebration for an excited three year old boy.

Since that fateful Easter brunch and the evening that had ensued, Rory and Logan had kept in limited communication via texts and brief phone calls. Logan had FaceTimed with Hayden on several occasions, trying to build a semblance of a relationship without being too intrusive. There had been no discussion of how much or if Logan would be involved in their lives. She was at a loss as to how they should proceed, so she was simply following his lead. For now.

"He's still married?" Lorelai's helium free voice asked.

"Yep, still married, a marriage that I'm sure is sealed with an iron clad prenup."

"I'm guessing a love child with his former sweetheart would probably violate said prenup?"

"I would say that's a pretty safe guess. So yeah, that's probably why I'm not too concerned about him coming to the party. He wouldn't jeopardize his business...or our privacy. I don't think he'd expose Hayden like that."

"Then what is he doing, Rory? As long as he's married, what can this even be? A drop-in daddy situation like the one you intended to avoid all along?"

"Mom, I don't know, okay?" Irritation seeped through Rory's tone. "But I'll figure it out. And I'll protect my kid as best I can."

"Fair enough. Oh, and look. Baby Daddy has arrived."

"Really, Mom?" Rory gave her mom one last annoyed look before turning her attention to the white Range Rover pulling in the drive. Logan parked, got out of the car, and waved to Rory and opened the back to unload the several gift wrapped boxes. He ascended the front porch stairs and paused in front of Rory and her mother.

"Well, hello there, Logan, it's been a long time," Lorelai said, standing and offering a wary half smile.

"Lorelai, how are you? Yes, it's been a very long time. You don't look any different from the last time I saw you."

"Ohh, there's that Huntzberger charm. I think your son may have inherited some of that himself," she replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hey, Logan, good to see you again," Rory broke in, cutting off any opportunity for her feisty mother to continue toward a snarky path.

"Thanks, I'm glad to be here. Thank you...for letting me be here," Logan rocked back on his heels, stack of gifts still in hand. An awkward silence followed until Lorelai stepped forward.

"I'll take those into the house for you, Logan, and then I'm going to see if Luke needs anything." She took the stack of gifts and made her exit.

Rory and Logan stood alone, both unsure of what to say or do.

"So where is the little man of the hour?" Logan asked, flashing his brilliant smile to hide his nerves.

"He's outback...probably pestering Luke to put together the Lightning McQueen power wheels that Amazon mysteriously shipped to us...any ideas where that might have come from?" Rory teased, smiling at Logan.

"No idea at all," Logan winked at her and smiled back. Rory's heart nearly skipped a beat. He was now closer to forty than thirty and he hardly looked older than he had in college, save for the creases at the corners of his eyes that only made him even more attractive, in Rory's opinion. He was dressed casually today in jeans (albeit expensive ones), a fitted v neck tee, and a trendy pair of trainers. He looked amazing. He probably smelled amazing, too. Would she ever be able to stand in his presence and not have her 19 year old hormones reemerge? _'Get a grip on yourself, Rory, he's married now,'_ she silently reminded herself.

"So, uh...how hostile exactly of an environment am I walking into today?" he casually inquired, raising an eyebrow and smiling once again. She blushed and looked away.

"Um, well, considering none of the people who know you're Hayden's dad supported my decision to, um, raise him alone ...I'd say not that hostile," she admitted, turning her gaze downward and intently studying her sandals.

"Oh, yeah?" Logan promoted further.

"Yeah, I don't know how well you remember the situation with Luke's daughter April, but he and my mom were definitely not on board with my choice. My grandma is the only one who understood my fear of disrupting the Huntzberger empire...and the wrath that could ensue..." she trailed as she looked back up and met his eyes. They stood staring at each other for another moment.

"Come one, lets go inside and find Hayden," Rory motioned for him to follow and turned to head into the house.

Later, as the last of the guests bid their goodbyes, Rory, Lorelai, and Luke cleaned up the party remnants while Logan took on the job of assembling Hayden's new toys. She could hear her son's endless and chatter punctuated by bursts of laughter from the two of them.

Rory stood in the doorway of the kitchen looking into the living room where Logan sat with her son. His son. Their son. Lorelai stopped and peered over her shoulder.

"Well, they sure get along well. Like father, like son, huh?" Lorelai remarked.

"I guess so. I'm amazed at how quickly Hayden has taken to him."

"Hmm, it's like he knows almost," Lorelai gave her daughter a sidelong glance.

"Oh c'mon, he's three."

"He may be three, but he's an intuitive genius like his grandmother." Rory rolled her eyes at this. "I'm gonna say my goodbyes to the birthday boy and take off. You ok with that?" Lorelai asked, raising an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason, I just have noticed you staring longingly all afternoon at the not at all unattractive father of your child, and given the extensive, and fruitful, history between you two, and the fact that I'm pretty sure you haven't dated anyone in at least a year, I'm wondering if Hayden is enough of a chaperone," Lorelai gave her daughter a look.

"Oh, please, he's married! And he's probably never going to forgive me for not telling him about Hayden for as long as he lives." Rory rolled her blue eyes and gave her mother an annoyed glare.

"Whatever you say, dear daughter! Hayden," she said and she walked into the living room where her grandson sat with his father, "Lola is going home now. Happy Birthday, my most favorite grandson, I love you all the way to the moon and back!"

Hayden jumped in her arms for a hug and the immediately hopped back into Logan's lap.

"Sheesh, it always was hard to compete with you Huntzbergers for afffection," she quipped.

Logan laughed. "It was great seeing you again, Lorelai...I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again now that..."

Lorelai's eyes widened. "Oh, um yes, I'm sure we will. Bye now!" She gave Rory the raised eyebrow look as she passed her on the way out.

The next few hours were spent opening new toys and watching Hayden drive, or rather attempt to drive, his power wheels in the driveway. Rory found herself immediately looking at Logan each time Hayden's antics were particularly cute or funny, and was unnerved each time she found him doing the same. Is this what it was like to parent your child with his father? Shared unconditional adoration? Mutual sweet, knowing glances every time he made them laugh? It was nice seeing the two of them bond with one another, father and son. But she knew that reality would set in and he would be leaving soon, back to London and his wife and his real life.

Once Hayden had been bathed, read to, and tucked in with his favorite stuffed dog, Rory and Logan found themselves alone on her living room sofa, sharing a bottle of wine and eating leftover cake.

Logan was regaling her with something amusing Hayden had said to him earlier that evening. "That kid is too smart for his own good, I'm telling you," Logan said as he shook his head, smiling affectionately at the thought of his son.

"Well, he does have some decently smart parents," Rory said as she shoveled another forkful of cake in her mouth.

"I'm just amazed at how connected I feel to him already. I've spent less than two days with him and I can't stand the thought of leaving him to go back to London, which is crazy considering he doesn't even know I'm his dad."

Rory slowly put down her fork. "Logan," she began quietly, "I can't tell you enough how sorry I am for not telling you I was pregnant. I will never forgive myself for all the time you lost with him. I just hope you can find it in you to forgive me...eventually." Her eyes welled up and she stared down at the crumbs on her cake plate.

Logan sat his wine glass down on the coffee table in front of him. "I can't lie to you, Rory, that still hurts like hell and I don't know if I'll ever get over it. But part of me understands, I know you never wanted what my life entails. I know you were afraid of Hayden being taken from you, raised as a Huntzberger. I mean, I would have broken things off with Odette in a heartbeat if I had ever thought that there was even a chance of us being together...permanently..." he picked up his glass and took a long sip.

Rory continued staring at her plate, absorbing his words, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I think by the time I figured out that I wanted to be with you...permanently...I just felt like it was too late. You had you're whole life figured out and I was just floundering. You were thriving professionally and you seemed at least satisfied with your engagement to Odette, I mean you were poised to take over a global empire. You were fulfilling your destiny. And I just couldn't mess that up for you. I had my chance, at 22, to have you forever, and I blew it." Her tears fell in earnest now and Logan shifted his position on the sofa until he was right next to her. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. God, he did smell amazing, exactly as she remembered. A clean masculine scent, a mixture of soap and expensive cologne and something else, something just quintessentially Logan. She buried her face in his neck and let her tears flow as he gently stroked her hair, crying for the missed chances and their lost love, the years he'd missed with their son, the years of having a real family she'd cheated them all out of.

"Shh, Ace, it's okay, it's okay," he whispered into her hair. "It's my fault, too, I should have broken things off with Odette, I should have done everything I could to keep you, fuck the merger...I never wanted Vegas, I just took whatever I could to be with you. It's always been you, Ace, it always will be you."

He held her until her sobs died down and she lifted her face from his neck, eyes red and puffy, and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess. It's been an emotional couple of months."

"I know how you feel...hey are you saving this for later?" He teased, cupping her face and using his thumb to swipe at a bit of frosting at the corner of her mouth.

Her breath hitched at this intimate gesture and she froze, wide blue eyes staring directly into his brown ones. The teasing in his eyes vanished and the smile faded from his handsome face. Their eyes were locked, their faces inches from each other's. Rory blushed and started to turn away but Logan's hand still cupping her cheek held her head firmly in place, and suddenly his lips were on hers and she lost all semblance of sane, rational thought. He kissed her gently, almost tentatively. Her stomach dropped and flipped as if she were on a roller coaster ride, and just as he started to pull away, her hand flew to the nape of his neck and snaked into the back of his hair and she pulled him back, deepening the kiss.

Three and a half years of pent up want, three and a half years of missing him so badly she'd hardly let herself think about it. All the emotion and need took over, her tongue slipping into his mouth, her hands drifting over his firm torso. She shifted until she was straddling him on the sofa, one of his hands running up and down her spine, the other still cupping her cheek. She knew they should stop, he was married now, this was wrong. But she was Rory and he was still Logan, and it felt wrong not to be together this way. She slipped her hands underneath his shirt, marveling at the feeling of her hands stroking his bare skin. She pushed his shirt up and he helped her to pull it over his head.

"C'mom, Ace, that's not fair," his whispered as he pulled at the hem of her shirt. She swatted his hands away, her lips on his shoulder.

"Bedroom," she insisted, and he slowly stood up, hands cupping her ass, her legs wrapped around his waist, mouths connected once again.

"Which way?" as he tore his lips away from hers momentarily.

"Mmmm, that way," she pointed to the door across the hall from Hayden's. He entered the room and walked them over the the bed, lying her on top of the patterned quilt before climbing on top of her. He pushed her shirt up and kissed the top of one of her breasts before slipping his hand in the cup of her bra and easing it free. He placed a light kiss on her nipple and then paused.

"Do you want me to go?"

She answered with a kiss.

"Rory, do you want me to go?"

"No," she whispered, "please stay."

He lowered his lips to hers once again as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist. She'd save her regret for the morning.


	8. Chapter 8

"I want to disembark in Bora Bora, and instead of flying directly back to London, I was hoping we could stay for a few days, maybe at the Four Seasons, or somewhere more private...Logan? Logan, are you listening to me?" Odette's lilting French accent broke through his thoughts.

Logan was sitting on the sofa in their flat, glass of scotch in hand, legs stretched out on the coffee table, head leaned back. He'd been traveling the last two week and he was completely worn out. He'd just dozed off as Odette was filling him in on the itinerary for the private yacht she'd chartered for the end of July. He'd been working nonstop, traveling to the States and Asia so frequently, she'd insisted that he take a week off to cruise through Tahiti with a few of her insufferable friends and their equally insufferable significant others. As much as he needed a vacation, he'd much prefer to spend a week in Connecticut.

It had been nearly a month since Hayden's birthday party, and he still had no idea what to make of the situation. He was smitten with his son and he hated not spending every free second he had with Hayden. So much time had been lost already, and it absolutely killed him. And then there was Rory.

Making love to her once again confirmed what he already knew, what he'd always known. He was still as in love with her as he ever was, despite how much she'd hurt him. It would be so much easier if he could just stay angry with her, lay the blame of this horribly messy situation entirely at her feet. But it wasn't that easy, and there were fleeting moments where he could almost understand why she had made the decision that she did. He wasn't exactly an innocent party either; he should have fought for her, done everything he could to keep her. Instead, he'd convinced himself that he wasn't what was best for her, and he dutifully married Odette and took the final leap toward his predetermined fate.

"How hard are you fighting it?" Rory had once demanded in their earlier days of exclusivity at Yale, when he had rued his fate with bitter angst in the middle of an argument.

"In the end, not that fucking hard," he thought to himself. Maybe if she'd accepted his first proposal it would all be different. He'd had the fight in him back then, the determination to break free. As long as he had Rory, he could handle whatever life threw his way.

And then there was the matter of Odette. He never wanted to be like his father, who was never all that discreet in regards to his numerous affairs over the years. Even though Logan didn't marry for love, he was fond enough of Odette, and the sex wasn't lacking. He honestly intended to be a faithful husband, regardless of her intentions to be a faithful wife. His intent was only partially rooted in a desire to display a stronger moral fiber than father had; if the pre-nup was to be violated, he damn sure wasn't going to be the one to to do it. But Hayden's very existence threw all that out of the window. Besides, being with Rory felt right. Since Hayden's birthday, being intimate with his wife now felt like he was betraying Rory. The hold she had on him for all these years was something he'd long stopped trying to make any sense of.

He turned his attention to his impossibly elegant (and impatient) wife. "Darling, I told you, plan the itinerary as you see fit. Whatever you choose will be more than perfect." He walked across the room and slung an arm around her waist from behind, nuzzling her ear in an attempt at genuine affection. Odette stiffened almost unnoticeably at his touch, and with a soft laugh, wriggled out of his embrace.

"Oui, mon chere, but it would be nice for us to plan something together for once," she pouted as she gracefully collapsed onto the adjacent sofa, tucking her slender legs underneath her and reaching for her wine glass from the end table. She took a dainty sip and fixed her brilliant green eyes back on him.

"I know, I know," he placated. "Send me some of your ideas and I will add my thoughts. Will that make you happy?" He leaned over and dropped a kiss onto her pouting lips. He may not have married for love and she may drive him absolutely crazy, but there was no denying her stunning beauty and mysterious allure. Odette was born with an intangible, magnetic quality that caused men to gravitate toward her seemingly against their conscious will, as inevitably she would tire of them and toss them aside. Logan was never one to back away from a challenge, and he supposed that that was one of the reasons their relationship had made it at far as it had.

Odette paused as he straightened himself and strode over to the bar. She delicately cleared her throat. "After our cruise, are you going to be traveling for business the rest of the summer?"

Logan placed several ice cubes in a squatty crystal glass and proceeded to pour a healthy amount of an amber liquid over them. He kept his back to his wife as he answered, "I'm not sure yet. I'm sure I will be doing some traveling."

"Well, you've been gone so often that I thought I may head to Paris when we return from Bora Bora. Spend a few weeks there."

Logan turned to face her. "Sure, darling, whatever makes you happy. Are any of your friends still in Paris for the summer? I thought most of your crowd heads south or bounces around the continent."

"A few will be there around that time...a friend of ours is having an exhibit at a gallerie, and we want to be present, bien sur." She smiled brightly at him.

Logan refrained from raising his eyebrows. Given his wife's history with struggling artists, he had his suspicions on the nature of this "friendship". Instead he smiled at her. "Of course. You will be missed, dear."

He walked over to an antique secretary and rifles through a small stack of mail. "What would you like to do for dinner this evening? It's already 7 o'clock."

"Let's go out, I just need to freshen up a bit," she replied and she gracefully unfolded herself from the sofa and headed toward their bedroom.

"Ok, I'm just going to step out of the balcony and make a quick call." Logan stepped through the antique set of doors onto the balcony, and closed them firmly behind him. He quickly pressed his phone screen and listened to it begin to ring.

"Hello?" answered a familiar, somewhat hushed voice. Logan could hear plenty of noise in the background.

"Hey man, are you out somewhere?"

"I'm out to lunch with some clients. We're just finishing up, I'm stepping out to the lobby. What's up?" Colin asked.

"I wanted to see if you had a chance to comb through that pre-nup. Trying to figure out what to do with my situation and all..."

"Yeah, I've read through most of it, not in as much detail as I'd like given my current work load, but from what I can tell Mitchum's got you locked in. Jean-Baptiste Montagne stands to retain a majority share of the holdings if this marriage folds on account of your actions."

Logan sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Now," Colon continued, "we know Odette doesn't exactly have a clean history of her own. Any chance she's continued with her, 'dalliances', shall we say, since you two have been married?"

"It's possible," Logan admitted. "I haven't really tried to catch her because honestly, I haven't really cared all that much since...you know...I know that sounds pathetic. But I do know that we've supposedly been trying for a year to get pregnant and now she's headed to Paris next month to support one of her artist 'friends.'"

Colin chuckled. "I never thought you'd end up in an arranged marriage with someone sluttier than yourself. No offense, I know she's your wife and all..."

Logan laughed bitterly. "None taken. The French have a different outlook on fidelity entirely. They make Mitchum look conservative."

"Shit now that's saying something," Colin replied. "My advice? See if you can make her take the fall before you reveal your kid with Rory. If both of you have mud on your face so to speak, maybe this can be a quiet and equitable parting."

"Yeah, it's something to think about," Logan answered just as he heard Odette calling his name. "Listen, I gotta run. I'll catch up with you in New York next month." He ended the call and headed inside to depart for dinner with his wife.

—

Three weeks later

Logan floated lazily in the pool on the top deck of the yacht, and gazed out at the endless expanse of impossibly turquoise waters as he mindlessly sipped some sort of fresh coconut

and rum concoction. He had to admit that although he had been reluctant about this charter and the company he would be in, he hadn't been this relaxed in a long time.

He could hear Odette nearby, chatting rapidly in French with one of her insipid friends. Logan had a decent grasp of the language, but not strong enough to keep up with her pace after the number of cocktails he'd consumed. They'd enjoyed a pleasant week together, both actually making an effort to be mentally present with each other. He'd even been able to suppress thoughts of Rory enough to enjoy sexual activities with the ever adventurous Odette. As tied up as his emotions were, it was hard to resist Odette when she was practically naked all over the yacht, her designer bikinis and European penchant for being topless leaving little to the imagination. He couldn't recall the last time they'd had this much sex, in so many positions or in one case out in the open on the deck at night, their moans hopefully masked by the sound of the ocean.

So he continued to make the most of his current situation, still unsure of how to proceed into the future with the mess of recent developments in his life. He was due back in the states next week, and planned on stealing away to Stars Hollow to visit his son. Odette would head to Paris, and Logan had decided to hire a private detective to check up on his wife's activities. He'd resolved to keep himself in check when it came to Rory for the time being. Their passionate slip up would have to be a one time thing for now. He had to protect both her and Hayden while he figured out how, if at all, he could remain in their lives.

"Sir, your wife asked me to tell you that lunch is being served," A crew member's voice interrupted his thoughts. He opened his eyes and regarded a tanned blonde in her crisp white shorts and navy blue polo uniform. He smiled charmingly.

"Thank you...Elisa," He squinted at her name tag. "Tell her I'm headed that way."

He steered his raft to the edge of the pool and hoisted himself onto the deck. He stood and stretched, grabbed a towel and proceeded to dry off. He took one last long look out over the blue waters. Checking out from reality for a couple of weeks was just what he needed, but he knew he would inevitably have to figure out this situation with his son before too long. He sighed to himself and headed to meet his wife for lunch.

—

One week later he was in the HPG's New York office, sending a last email to assistant with a few changes in his schedule the next day. He glanced at his Rolex. 7 PM. He was headed to meet Colin for drinks.

Upon his departure from Bora Bora back to the States, Odette had headed straight to Paris. He hadn't heard much from her in the last week; a few sporadic texts and a couple of phone calls. She was firmly ensconced in her beloved art scene, supporting the opening of her artist "friends" and partying until all hours, fueled by alcohol and probably less innocuous substances. He knew he should care about what his wife was up to, as HPG didn't need the society wife of its heir apparent looking coked up in the tabloids, but he just didn't. Her assumed ill advised antics gave him a perceived extension on how to handle the predicament of his former lover and their secret child.

Adding to it was the pressure from his own family to produce an heir with Odette. He'd had dinner with Mitchum last night after running out of excuses to put it off. The subject had come up then as his father took a healthy gulp of his post dinner single malt scotch.

"Do you remember Patrick Ellsworth? You went to school with him at Kingswood? His father was just telling me his wife delivered their third son. He married Fallon Wimberly, remember how fond your mother always was of her? Anyway, he was the same year in school as you, I believe. Didn't you used to kick his ass on the tennis court?"

Logan inwardly rolled his eyes. Like he cared to recall some random schoolmate from decades ago. He sank back in his chair and took a healthy sip of the amber liquid in his own rocks glass before responding to his father.

"That could describe a number of former classmates. Not sure I can recall him specifically."

Mitchum leaned back in his chair. "Well, anyhow, that's a wonderful position to be in, three potential future leaders for the family business. Not that their business is anywhere near the size of HPG, but even so."

Logan emptied the contents of his glass and stood up. "It's been a long day, I think I'll head back to the apartment."

Back in the quiet darkness of the Huntzberger's Upper East Side apartment, he poured himself another drink and reached for his phone.

"Hi, Logan," Rory's soft voice answered.

"Hey, sorry, I know it's past the little man's bedtime. I'm in New York, and I was thinking about coming to Stars Hollow on Sunday," he trailed off.

"Um, sure, we'll be around. Im sure Hayden would be thrilled," she replied.

"Great. I'll try to get on the road early so I can spend the day."

"That sounds great. We'll see you Sunday."

Logan put his phone down and stretched out on the sofa. He didn't know how much longer he could continue hiding his son, keeping up his marriage, trying (unsuccessfully) to suppress his feelings for Rory. Something had to give. He just had absolutely no idea what.


End file.
